The closing ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics drew the curtain on the Games in a spectacular way. From Cirque du Soleil-inspired acrobats, to a gravity-defying piano performance, to a Mission Impossible-level stunt that only Tom Cruise himself could pull off, the ceremony was an epic send-off for an epic athletic competition.
At this year’s Games, we saw novel use of France’s most iconic and historically significant landmarks, like Place de la Concorde, the Grand Palais, the Esplanade des Invalides, and of course, the Château de Versailles.
The closing ceremony’s venue, the Stade de France, was no exception. Originally built in 1998 for the FIFA World Cup, the 77,000-capacity stadium, located just outside of Paris, was transformed into an epic concert hall for the event.
The ceremony, which lasted just over two hours, included over 100 performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists, according to the Paris Olympic Committee press release.
“At the Stade de France, where the greatest stars of athletics and rugby sevens will have competed, the moment will be solemn and emotional, but it will also be a time for celebration! Finally, the pressure will be off, and everyone will be able to take full advantage of the absolutely exceptional show,” said Tony Estanguet, president of the 2024 Paris Olympics organizing committee.
According to the ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, the vision for the ceremony was “a journey into the past, to the origins of the Games, but also into the future, and ultimately to a timeless universe.”
“The ambition is to celebrate in suspended time, with conscience, and with the idea that together we can make a difference,” he said in a press release.
Spectators were treated to performances by Grammy-winning French pop-rock band Phoenix, pianist Alain Roche, Belgian singer Angèle, French R&B singer Yseult, and American artists Billie Eilish, H.E.R., the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.
Capping off the event was Tom Cruise with his daring rappel off the roof of the Stade de France in a stunt that tied the 2024 Paris Olympics to 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
After a dazzling fireworks display and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, the ceremony came to an end, as did the 2024 Games.
Here’s a look at some of the most stunning visual moments from the night.
